Deltanoid Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The goal of this study is to test a new vitamin D compound for its ability to reduce parathyroid hormone levels in patients who are on hemodialysis.

This is an open-label, dose-ranging study of the vitamin D analog DP001 in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The primary goals of this 4-week Phase 2A study are to identify an appropriate starting dose of DP001 to be used in subsequent studies in this population and for evaluation of pharmacokinetics of DP001 in ESRD patients.

Low doses of topically administered vitamin D analogs have been shown to have an anti-psoriatic effect without the risk of hypercalcemia. Calcipotriol, the most thoroughly studied of the vitamin D analogs, was first approved in Europe in the early 1990s. It has been shown to be comparable or slightly more effective than class II corticosteroid ointments. However, patients had reduced levels of parathyroid hormone; mean serum and urine calcium were increased during treatment and hypercalciuria was observed. These effects were reversible with discontinuation of therapy. Thus, while calcipotriol ointment was shown to be effective, the potential for alterations in calcium homeostasis have limited its use to 100 g of ointment per week (0.5 mg calcipotriol/week). Work has continued on the creation of new vitamin D analogs, such as COL-121, with the intent of eliminating the adverse effects of hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria with a compound that is more stable and more easily administered.